Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon expressed her concern about her group’s protection earlier than the season even obtained began. It was the one space she knew needed to be sharp in the event that they deliberate on making a run to a second straight championship and fourth in 5 seasons.
„Most likely it’s going to by no means be excellent, however you attempt to get higher on daily basis, so we simply put one foot in entrance of the opposite,“ Hammon stated on Could 9. „[We’ll] preserve working at it till the protection is what we wish it to be.“
It is positively not the place they need it to be after watching Saturday’s 98-87 loss to the Minnesota Lynx. Las Vegas (22-10) let Lynx stars Napheesa Collier and Olivia Miles unite for almost half of Minneapolis‘ factors and surrendered 15 three-pointers in defeat, its second on a five-game street journey that ends on Sunday afternoon in opposition to the New York Liberty (9:30 a.m. PT, ABC).
„I believed we had a fairly clear and primary sport plan and this was in all probability considered one of our poorest execution video games that we have had all yr,“ Hammon stated after Saturday’s loss. „We’ve obtained to be taught so much off paper and our movie as a result of we simply don’t have time to observe. Now we have to be fast learners in these conditions.“
Whereas the Aces rank seventh in scoring protection after Saturday’s video games (86.9), it has let up just below 92 factors a sport since July 12, a span that has seen them flip in a mediocre 5-4 file. That locations ninth within the WNBA in that point interval and so they’ve allowed a minimum of 87 tallies in 5 of the 9 video games performed.
To match, when the Aces have been 14-14 and getting ready to falling out of playoff competition final season, they have been permitting the fifth-most at 83.3. From Aug. 3 by means of the tip of the season, they allowed solely 76.3, third-lowest within the WNBA for that span. That set the tone for an ideal 16-0 stretch to shut out the common season earlier than they defeated Seattle, Indiana, and Phoenix within the ensuing playoffs.
With the season’s fourth quarter looming, listed here are three issues the Aces should do in the event that they plan on parading one other championship down Las Vegas Boulevard …
Azzi Fudd is COOKING 👩🍳
Her floater places her as much as 19 factors on the evening because the Wings lead by 4 over the Aces within the 4th quarter!pic.twitter.com/7SjbscFbCr
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) Could 29, 2026
Could the Fourth Be With Them
If there’s one level in a sport the Aces should enhance on protection, it is the fourth quarter. They rank thirteenth in permitting a mean of twenty-two.8 factors within the remaining stanza, third-most within the league, in entrance of solely the Los Angeles Sparks and Toronto Tempo. They’re the one group that might make the playoffs proper now that ranks within the backside six in that class.
The issue with their defensive lapse within the fourth is that additionally they rank thirteenth on offense, scoring simply 20.5 over the ultimate 10 minutes. The present common level differential has them within the purple at minus-2.3, the second-worst margin within the league forward of solely Connecticut.
Going again to final season’s comparability, the Aces ranked lifeless final in fourth quarter protection by means of their first 28 video games, permitting 20.9 in these finales There was marginal enchancment amidst the late takeover, as they noticed that dip to 19.4 over the ultimate 10 to tie for the fifth-lowest within the league.
a’ja wilson tonight:
28 points14 rebounds3 assists
& the sport successful rebound to safe the aces the primary dwelling win of the season. ✨ pic.twitter.com/MilAcyvOxC
— a’ja wilson HQ (@aja22wilsonHQ) June 6, 2026
One other One
Second-chance alternatives are big within the WNBA, and the Aces aren’t giving themselves sufficient. After Saturday’s loss, Las Vegas ranks thirteenth within the W with a mean of seven.6 offensive rebounds per sport. Granted, they did seize 12 on Saturday but it surely needs to be extra constant down the stretch and when the postseason begins. For the season, the Aces rank ninth with 11.1 second-chance factors.
It wasn’t so unhealthy by means of their first 23 video games, the place they averaged 8.0 offensive boards an outing. However they’re averaging simply 6.7 over the last 9, third fewest within the league, in entrance of solely, once more, non-playoff groups Chicago and Phoenix. Their rating manufacturing has suffered on account of their latest decline on the offensive glass, as they’re placing up solely 9.9 second-chance factors since July 12 … as soon as once more, the bottom of any playoff-eligible group. As compared, seven of the highest eight groups in second-chance factors throughout that latest stretch could be within the playoffs in the event that they began instantly.
Dana Evans went on a tear in Sport 1 of the WNBA Finals for the Aces 🌟
Here is a better have a look at her journey 🤩 pic.twitter.com/4Hg6mcCRqL
— espnW (@espnW) October 5, 2025
Off The Bench
It is good to boast scoring threats reminiscent of A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Grey, and Jackie Younger, however championship groups want bench scoring. The Aces rank close to the underside of the league within the class with 19.8 factors per sport this season, as manufacturing in that division has struggled to maintain the starters‘ momentum.
Las Vegas had 23 bench factors on Saturday because of each Dana Evans (11) and Jewell Loyd (10) entering into double figures whereas Brianna Turner added two extra. However, as has regularly been the case for the reason that launch of Chennedy Carter, that is not at all times sustainable.
Of their protection, the Aces had two reserves unavailable: Cheyenne Parker-Tyus remained in concussion protocol for the sixth consecutive sport whereas Justine Pissott is nursing a proper leg damage. Kierstan Bell and Mai Yamamoto have been additionally held out by coach’s resolution on Saturday.
The Aces have been in a position to overcome bench deficiency throughout their first two championship seasons, when their reserves averaged a league-worst 12.9 and 13.5 in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Final yr’s backups ranked eighth with 20.3 factors, however they’re again underneath the 20-point threshold this season, putting eleventh heading into the ultimate dozen. With potential playoff opponents like Golden State (1st, 35.7) and Indiana (fifth, 22.4) getting extra manufacturing from their respective second models, the Aces need to discover a solution to get their bench wholesome and productive.
„They put numerous work in, despite the fact that numerous instances they are not getting a ton of burn on the courtroom, they’re working behind the scenes to remain prepared,“ Hammon stated of the backups. „I really feel like we now have a very good improvement coach in Micah Fraction and Nola (Henry) additionally helps alongside these strains in that space. However, yeah, they will keep prepared. I think about within the subsequent few video games or in order that they’re gonna get some burn.“
W.G. Ramirez is a veteran sports activities author from Las Vegas and a Workers Author at Ballislife.com. Comply with him on X at @WillieGRamirez.
